Day Eighteen :: Week 34 and a baby pool

I didn't blog yesterday. I'm kinda surprised how sad that makes me because me sticking with a goal? Never happens.

(Well, hello, baby weight from 2007.)

I'm starting to not feel very good, especially past 3 p.m. If dinner isn't already made and in the fridge by the afternoon, we're probably eating Jimmy John's for dinner. Gravity + giant belly = pain. I started writing a post yesterday but couldn't finish complete, cohesive sentences because I was overwhelmed, tired and hurting.

I opted instead for my heating pad and "Real Housewives of Atlanta." Even watching that proved to be difficult. You know I'm not feeling well when it's hard to even keep Nene and Kim's drama straight.

Anyways.

We had an ultrasound yesterday. Baby Rockne was moving a TON but we were able to see that everything important regarding the high fluid. So thankful the kidneys, stomach and bladder all look functioning and fantastic.

One highlight of the ultrasound was seeing all the hair on this child because, wow. This babe has a lot of hair. Like Donald Trump or Pocahontas or some person with a ton of hair.

(This is how I'm thinking these days. Difficult and weird. Sorry.)

Baby Rockne measured over 7 pounds and the amniotic fluid measured at 36. I know ultrasound weights often aren't very accurate and tend to measure big so I'm telling myself Baby Rockne is 6 pounds and change. We'll see.

But hearing 7 pounds sent alarm bells through my head. I think it affected Joe the same way since one of the first things he said when we got in the car was, "You need to pack your hospital bag today.

So I'm thinking it's time we do a baby pool. Place your wagers on:

• baby's gender
• baby's birthday
• baby's weight and length
• baby's name (we're open to suggestions considering we have no idea what to name this babe)

To give you some context, here's what we know:

• I felt super strongly during my whole pregnancy with Madeline that she was a girl. This time, I have no instinct. Some days I think boy, some days girl. I can't tell if I'm measuring high or low because I'm just overall big. Baby's heartbeat is consistently between 140-160.
• My due date is November 28. My doctor is ecstatic that I made it to 34 weeks and thinks I might make it to 36 weeks but won't let me go past 38 weeks. I've been contracting since 26 weeks but zero dilation (thank you Jesus, for real). Madeline came nine days late after 22 hours of labor and nearly four hours of pushing. She did not want to come out. Hopefully Baby Rockne feels the same. (COOK, BABY, COOK.)
• Madeline weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 21 inches. The ultrasound thinks Baby Rockne is already 7 pounds, 1 ounce. I think no way.
• When Madeline was born, we went into the hospital with three solid options for the first name and one definite middle name. We still didn't name her for two days after she was born.This time, we have a list of about 25 names. These aren't names we absolutely love; they're just names neither one of us vetoed. Basically, we have no idea what the name will be, boy or girl.

There is no prize to be awarded to the winner. By the time we have the results, I'll be a sore, swollen, leaky, tired, highly emotional mama to two.

I'm just keeping it real.

But I do promise to recognize the winner on my blog before the baby's first birthday.

I recognize that this is an extremely compelling and inspiring reason to enter. Good luck.

P.S. I've recently gotten a couple comments from "strangers" who apologize for commenting since I don't know them. Please know that I stalk and lurk on tons of blogs every day and I feel no shame when I do comment on a blog written by someone I don't know personally. So I don't want anyone to feel that way about my blog. Seriously. I've even commented on some blogs and then met some pretty awesome women in real life and while some might think that's weird, I think it's pretty cool. So I might not know you in real life but that doesn't make you a stranger or lurker.

P.S.S. I hope you don't think I'm trying to force you/people to enter the baby pool. I just don't think you need to apologize if you want to comment. If you want to continue reading without commenting, totally fine. For realz.

P.S.S.S. However, I do think it would be totally awesome if I don't know you and you want to try to name my baby. Just sayin'.